First Love
by Countess Rivers
Summary: Edward has just potentially blown it for his family in Forks when he saves Bella, but Carlisle knows that what Edward's REALLY worried about is that he is feeling something he hasn't felt before. An E&B fluffy one shot. Please R&R - Pretty please :oD


**Terrified that he would lose control and do something he would regret for eternity, Edward ran from Forks, leaving his family behind. It struck me, when I was listening to the Twilight audio book the other day that perhaps it wasn't fear of killing Bella that made him run, but other feelings that he simply could not understand that scared him silly. Carlisle, of course – and who could ask for a more wonderful father, really – knows his son and knows what being human is truly like. But is Bella the girl who is going to change Edward forever?**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight, nor any of it's delightful characters else I wouldn't be here playing in Twilight land instead of going to bed at night!**

**First Love**

**CPOV**

I turned from the filing cabinet as the door of my office closed. "Father," Edward said. He looked desolate. "I've done something terrible." He plopped down into the chair across from me, his head in his hands.

I took a deep breath. Had his thirst got the better of him? As quickly as the thought entered my head I knew it wasn't that. I trusted my son completely – more than he did himself.

"What is it, Edward? It's not the girl, so it can't be that bad." Edward looked up, shame clouding his young features. "I _know_ you too well, son. Whatever you think about yourself, _I_ know you wouldn't hurt her. You'd hurt yourself before you'd ever hurt _her_."

Edward raised his eyebrows at me. "I think you have too much faith in my self-control, Father," he replied desperately.

"No, I haven't hurt her..." He trailed off. Relieved that my trust wasn't misguided I waited for him to go on.

"I think I may have betrayed our secret." He swallowed unnecessarily. "Bella was going to be killed." There was a minute flicker in his eyes as he spoke her name. Bella? Bella Swan. I may not have my son's ability to read minds, but, like I said, I _know_ him. He'd run for his life when he first met her – or maybe hers! He'd run to protect himself, his family as well as Bella Swan. But he'd also run from his feelings.

My beloved first son, alone for the last 90 years of his existence was, I was sure, experiencing the stirrings of first love – and it _terrified_ him!

"I pushed her out of the way," he continued, "and then, as if fate itself were utterly determined to take her, it threw the van around again....and I _stopped _it. Right there in front of Bella's eyes. And she _knows. _She knows that I moved quicker than is humanly possible. She knows I stopped that car with my bare hands..." The words tumbled out, stopping abruptly as he gasped for breath.

He shook his head slowly. "All I could think was, 'Not. Her.'"

"Edward? Edward! Llook at me, son." He lifted his eyes, full of sadness, to mine. "You did the right thing. Isn't that what I do every day? Save lives. Make a difference. Every life saved is a miracle and that's exactly what you did today."

"But our family?" Edward murmured. "I bet Rosalie was furious!" I smiled. I knew how she hated moving and starting over. She was sometimes a little self-absorbed.

A smile touched the corners of Edward's mouth. "Emmett had to hold her back, but Alice was almost dancing on the spot. She knew the car was coming, what I'd do and there was also a flash of something else in her mind, although I missed it as I stopped the car."

So, despite his panic, things weren't as bad as they seemed. "So, Edward, I'm guessing that if you're here it's because your friend..." I paused. "Bella!" Edward interrupted, this time almost smiling at her name. "..is down in the emergency room? Perhaps we can help her to forget? How much did everyone else see?

"Not much, I don't think" Edward replied thoughtfully. He looked towards the ceiling, as if replaying the whole event in his mind's eye. "I was by the Volvo and then by Bella's side between her truck and Tyler's van. Besides, I don't think anyone remembers that clearly, it all happened so fast."

"Well, Edward, time to use a little of that Cullen charm. Let's go with the father/son two step, let's see what we can do. And _don't worry._" If Edward had finally met his soulmate, and I suspected he might have, we would have to manage this situation carefully.

I sent Edward on ahead. Let him smooth the way – the two-pronged attack. I smiled to myself. I think my boy's in love!

I heard him talking to the boy who had been driving the van; the creak of the bed as he sat down. He asked if Bella was sleeping. It was there in his voice. A subtle change; just a touch of tenderness and concern. A low girl's voice in response. OK, Dr Cullen, time to see the object of my boy's desire. Let's find out if she feels the same.

"I came to spring you." Edward told her. Quite unmistakeably Bella Swan's heart fluttered as her breath caught momentarily. The diagnosis was positive.

I walked into the emergency room. As Bella looked up, her jaw dropped and her heart rate took off again. "So, Miss Swan, how are you feeling?" I used my best 'bedside manner' voice. Edward wasn't the only one who could dazzle to order.

Bella Swan insisted that she was fine. I could tell that she was the sort of girl who didn't like a fuss; determined, brave. Just the sort of girl who would suit my boy. I glanced across at him. For once he was so pre-occupied he didn't seem to notice my thoughts

I looked at her X-rays and then checked gently along her skull with my fingers. She winced, but insisted it was nothing, she'd had worse. Edward couldn't stifle the low chuckle. Strange how he had recently developed such a carefree sense of humour. He seemed to have changed so much of late and it appeared to tie in with his return from Denali. More evidence for my theory, I mused.

Bella buried her face in her hands when I told her that half her school were in the waiting room, wanting to know if she was ok. I offered her the chance to stay, but she leapt quickly from the bed, nearly falling in the process. She flushed, embarrassed. Yes, I could see why that was so appealing. I looked at Edward out of the corner of my eye. That same look of concern, and a slight lifting at the edge of his mouth.

"It sounds like you were extremely lucky," I said to her. She responded, with a tinge of sarcasm, "Lucky Edward happened to be standing next to me!" I busied myself with my papers, but thought carefully in Edward's direction, _'Come on, son, let's get this sorted out!'_

At this very moment Bella moved to Edward's side. "Can I talk to you?" She whispered. She really wasn't going to let this one go. I felt the atmosphere in the room change as Edward tensed. He tried to brush her off, but she was persistent, her polite tone forced. Yes, just the sort of girl who would suit my Edward, someone as stubborn as him. "I'd like to speak with you alone, if you don't mind," she urged.

"_Go on, son, but be gentle with her.'_ For all my building excitement, I was also painfully aware of the Edward's lack of experience. He could put on a convincingly charming mask, when required, but now his guard was coming down? He didn't really have the sort of understanding of the opposite sex of someone well versed in direct human interaction. Observation was simply not the same thing.

Edward turned abruptly and strode out of the room, with Bella following behind him. I continued to busy myself with Tyler's paperwork, keeping an ear open to hear which direction this conversation would take. Perhaps I should have given them some privacy, but this was all so new, I wanted to make sure that Edward didn't blow it.

They talked angrily, Edward desperately trying to persuade Bella that she was mistaken, she'd hit her head and couldn't be sure of herself. But Bella wasn't about to give up. She was absolutely certain of herself, a trait I'd seen so many times in my son and one he didn't like much when reflected back at him. She simply would not back down.

And as much as I'd hoped that we could convince Bella that she was wrong, something else flickered inside me. She might be a human girl, but Edward had the strongest control of any of my children and she was more than a match for him. She was not fearful, she simply wanted to understand. For once, Edward was the one full of fear. Fear of what he might do, although _I_ knew that he wouldn't, but, most of all, fear of this unknown adventure opening up in front of him.

My son had fallen, hard, and he had picked a girl who, although so very unsuitable, was going to change him in the most exciting ways, ways he had never dreamed of in his whole existence.

I smiled to myself once more, my dear seventeen-year-old son had finally fallen in love.

**A/N Altogether now, ahhhh! I hope this wasn't too cheesy. Pretty please R&R, I'll love you forever XD**


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